In 1993, five teenagers became superheroes when a sorceress from outer space decided she wanted to conquer Earth. In the sunny ocean-side town of Angel Grove, they each gained the ability to "morph" into color-coded suits that boosted their strength, endurance, and fighting skills.

Even people who aren't fans of the Power Rangers franchise know where the phrase "It's morphin' time" comes from. While that line is a staple of the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series, plenty of other lines became catchphrases for the show or stuck with fans long after the original three seasons ended.

Updated on December 1st, 2023, by Mayra Garcia: With the Power Rangers franchise about to get a reboot, fans can't help but look back at the show that started it all. Since Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is one of the most iconic series from the '90s, it only makes sense that it has quotes that are just as memorable. This list has been updated to comply with CBR's standards.

15 One Catchphrase Set a Power Rangers Precedent for Decades

"May the Power Protect You."

"The world is lucky to have you, and so am I. May the power protect you always."

In the original series, Zordon might not have been a warrior in his own right — like he was in the 2017 reboot or the new expanded universe of the BOOM Studios comics — but he inspired his team of Rangers on a regular basis. Zordon was the person who taught them about alien beings and their new powers and gave them advice from his stasis tube. One of the character's most often used quotes in Power Rangers was, "May the power protect you."

This was a reference to the power of the Morphing Grid, a concept that wouldn't be fleshed out until later in the franchise. Although the Power Rangers put their lives on the line every day, they were, in fact, protected from most injuries by the power of the "Morphing Grid." Without their connection to it, their chances of survival were slim, something that became noticeable every time they lost their powers during the franchise.

14 One Villain Dared to Go Full Meta

"What Is It With You Hero Types? Always the Same Line."

mmpr rito revolto

"What is it with you hero types? Always the same line!"

Related
10 TV Heroes Who Would Make Great Power Rangers
The Power Rangers are strong, brave, and pure of heart. Several heroes on TV display these attributes, such as Eleven and Prince Zuko.

It's a well-known fact amongst superhero fans that no matter how much the audience might love the characters, certain lines become a bit cliché. One of those is the favorite, "You won't get away with this," which is used quite a bit in the Power Rangers franchise. When it's aimed at Rita Repulsa's little brother, Rito Revolto, after he joined the series, Rito doesn't let it slide.

He's a villain who's had his share of battles with heroes in other parts of the universe — though the audience is never privy to them. Despite being pretty inept throughout the series, even Rito was over the clichéd use of the line. It's a nice nod for parents who might have been watching the show with their kids in the '90s, and something even kids might have found funny.

13 Alpha 5's Greatest Line Was Also His Most Stressful

"Aye-Yi-Yi-Yi-Yi!"

Alpha-5 holds his visor in Power Rangers

"Aye-yi-yi-yi-yi!"

Alpha-5 might be a robot, but he's one built with plenty of emotions. He genuinely cares about Zordon, the Power Rangers, and Earth, where he's made his home. To express his worry when things go wrong, his go-to phrase is always a variation of "Aye-yi-yi-yi-yi!"

The line became so iconic amongst kids in the '90s that they soon began using it whenever they made mistakes. The catchphrase even made it into the 2017 reboot movie — though that version of Alpha-5 is certainly different from the original.

12 Rita Repulsa Showed that Constant Losses Can Get to Villains

"I Have a Headache!"

Machiko Sago as Rita Repulsa in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers

"I have a headache!"

It can't be fun to see plans foiled every single time one tries to take over the world. Rita Repulsa might be a villain, but she really just wanted to get her way — and she almost never did. Instead, her victories were always short-lived. When her plans crumble, or her monster is defeated, or one of her underlings doesn't do exactly as she asks, Rita's usual response is to get angry and make threats but wallow in her defeat.

She almost always has a headache, a phrase brought into the show because the existing Japanese footage of the original Sentai series saw the character place her hand to her head quite a bit. With her iconic tone of voice accompanying it, it might be the best-known Power Rangers quote.

11 Kimberly Was Strong But Still Wanted Her Knight in Shining Armor

"I Love Fairy Tales"

"I love fairytales. I've always wanted to be a princess and get rescued by a handsome prince on a white horse."

Related
Power Rangers: Every Current Mighty Morphin Team in Comics, Explained
BOOM! Studios' Darkest Hour features five different teams of Power Rangers who aren't all fighting on the same side.

Of all the original Power Rangers, Kimberly Hart is most likely to have her head in the clouds, dreaming of happy endings. She might have been an ambitious athlete who left the show to pursue her Olympic dreams, but she's also a great reflection of an actual teenager balancing her dreams with her responsibilities.

When Kimberly, Tommy, and Rocky end up stuck in one of her favorite fairy tale books from her childhood, Kimberly readily admits how much she still loves fairy tales. This Power Ranger quote is a great snapshot of her character. She might be tough, but she still loves the idea of a prince coming and sweeping her off her feet.

10 Jason was an Inspiration as a Hero and Leader

"Isn't the Smallest Chance of Victory Enough of a Reason for us to Keep Fighting?"

Jason Lee Scott Power Rangers

"Isn't the smallest chance of victory enough of a reason for us to keep fighting?"

Jason Lee Scott is often seen as one of the best leaders in the franchise. The attitude expressed by the original Red Ranger's quote is part of the reason fans feel this way. Jason always believes good will eventually triumph, no matter how small the chances may be.

His determination to do the right thing in every circumstance inspires his team to do the same. Jason never gives up. Even if he's losing his powers or the powers could harm him, he comes running when someone's in need.

9 There Are Other Ways to Say "It's Morphin' Time"

"It's Time for Molecular Transmutation!"

Trini And Billy In Mighty Morphin Power Rangers

"It's time for molecular transmutation!"

When the Power Rangers need to go from regular teenagers to helmeted heroes, someone has to make the morphing call. After the Mighty Morphin series, the iconic saying changed from "it's morphin' time," changing with the variations of each season's power sets.

Blue Ranger Billy was the first Power Ranger to change the morphing call. It's probably not a line too many fans will quote decades later, but it's perfect for Billy. Since he doesn't often use the same slang as his friends, Trini often has to "translate" his speech for the others.

8 Tommy Proved Himself as a Leader Early on

"It's Who and What I Am Inside That Empowers Me."

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Green No More

"I realized it's not just the costumes and powers that give me strength. It's who and what I am inside that empowers me."

If there's one Power Ranger who seems to get the most attention from fans, it's the original Green Ranger, Tommy Oliver. He's been on the most Power Rangers teams in history, but his path to becoming a team leader wasn't easy. After he breaks free of Rita Repulsa's spell, Tommy begins to lose his Green Ranger powers.

He spends a lot of time being told not to join the fight so he won't be put in danger. Tommy eventually realizes he doesn't have to have special powers to do good things. This was an important lesson for the audience to learn then, and it remains one now.

7 Trini Was an Inspiration on and Off the Battlefield

"Physical And Mental Strength Should Go Hand In Hand."

Trini The Original Yellow Ranger In Mighty Morphin Power Rangers

"Physical and mental strength should go hand in hand."

Trini might be the most underrated of the original Power Rangers. As the Yellow Ranger, she's not the team leader, but she's able to take charge when she needs to because of the wise advice her father gave her.

Trini works incredibly hard in school. She's at the top of her class with Billy, always trying to broaden her mind and learn new skills. Some of those include new martial arts styles as well. She's the epitome of a balanced person, making her an excellent friend and Power Ranger.

6 The Longest Running Villains Had a Foolproof Strategy

"He Who Fights and Runs Away... Lives to Fight Another Day."

"He who fights and runs away... lives to fight another day."

Related
The 25 Strongest Power Rangers In The Franchise, Ranked
Everyone has their favorite rangers from across the Power Rangers franchise, but they'll always remember powerful Rangers like Tommy Oliver.

Goldar and Scorpina aren't exactly the wisest of villains. Goldar isn't even truly loyal to Rita like Scorpina is. They are, however, survivors, which is why this quote from the two of them actually is pretty good advice.

There's something to be said for regrouping and trying again. Even the Power Rangers are forced to run away once in a while to come up with a new strategy — just like the villains they face so many times.

5 Zack Was the Scrappiest Ranger on the Team

"And Now I'm Gonna Mess With You!"

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Happy Birthday Zack S1E10

"You've messed with my friends, and now I'm gonna mess with you!"

If there's one thing the Power Rangers are known for (besides their superpowers), it's their friendship. Even though all the team members are different from one another, they stand by each other no matter what. It's nearly impossible for the villains to defeat the Power Rangers unless they're able to break up their friendships.

Zack, the original Black Ranger, is one of the best friends anyone in the group could ask for. This line is really the epitome of Zack's character. No matter how scared he gets, whether it's of monsters or bugs, he's always ready to stand up for his friends.

4 Lord Zedd Remains the Most Terrifying Power Rangers Villain

"It Is Only a Matter of Time Until I Hold This World in the Palm of My Hand"

Lord Zedd in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers

"It is only a matter of time until I hold this world in the palm of my hand to crush at will."

Rita Repulsa might be the villain who comes to everyone's minds first, but Lord Zedd is infinitely more intimidating. He might be one of the scariest villains when he debuts.

Lord Zedd emerging on the scene is the first time the audience actually worries the Power Rangers might not make it. When he promptly gets rid of Rita, Lord Zedd proves scary enough to be seen as a real threat. Though he gets markedly sillier as the show goes on, this line is one of the reasons '90s kids fear him.

3 Being a Power Ranger Is a Lifelong Commitment

"I'm a Power Ranger 'Til the End."

Tommy Morphin In Mighty Morphin Power Rangers

"I'm a power ranger 'til the end."

Related
10 Deadliest Power Rangers Villains From The Comics
The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers franchise has created some of pop culture's most iconic heroes, but the comics have given fans even worse villains.

Tommy gets a lot of the impactful lines in the series, partly because of the dramatic loss of his powers the first time around. Like Jason, he tends to inspire his friends, and he never walks away from the fight.

Tommy makes it pretty clear throughout his time as a Power Ranger that he isn't just willing to lose his powers. In fact, he's willing to lose everything to protect the planet.

2 There's no Better Way to Announce Success in Power Rangers

"Morphinomenal!"

Kimberly In The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Movie

"Morphinomenal!"

Despite being a cheesy way to replace "phenomenal" in a sentence, in the early '90s, kids everywhere were saying this instead of "awesome." The term was originally coined by Pink Ranger Kimberly Hart.

She says it in a moment of excitement, and it's not the only time it's used in the series. It became a catchphrase for the team and was repeated throughout the entire run of the show and has since become a mainstay of the series.

1 Being a Power Ranger is a Huge Responsibility

"Follow Three Basic Rules Or Lose The Protection Of The Power."

"Follow three basic rules or lose the protection of the power. First, never use your powers for personal gain. Second, never escalate a battle unless Rita forces you. And finally, keep your identity a secret. No one may know you are a Power Ranger."

When the original five teenagers become Power Rangers, Zordon has just three rules for them. They are pretty standard superhero rules to adults, but they provide the foundation for how the team moves forward in the series.

The Power Rangers keep their word, only using their Ranger abilities against the bad guys, never making the first move against Rita, and only telling people their identities when they have to. The rules provided a generation of kids with the idea that they shouldn't bully others and should support their friends.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (1993)
TV-Y7
Adventure
Family

A team of teenagers with attitude are recruited to save Angel Grove from the evil witch, Rita Repulsa, and later, Lord Zedd, Emperor of all he sees, and their horde of monsters.

Release Date
August 28, 1993
Cast
Main Genre
Action
Seasons
3 Seasons
Creator
Shuki Levy, Haim Saban.
Production Company
MMPR Productions Inc., Renaissance-Atlantic Films, Saban Entertainment.